Not sure if you could tell, but I'm not exactly a people person
by mdelpin
Summary: Gray just wants a cup of coffee first thing in the morning so he can handle those nearest and dearest to him. Why is it so hard? Very mild romance.


98 "Not sure if you could tell, but I'm not exactly a people person."

Gray knew it was a mistake to go to the guild before he'd had his morning coffee but he didn't have any at home, and if he was late for their team meeting he knew Erza was going to tear him a new one. He tried to wake himself up, but being an ice mage cold water didn't do squat and warm water just annoyed him by reminding him of both the insistent water mage and the frustrating fire dragon slayer before he was ready to deal with either of them.

He put on some clothes, not even bothering to see if they matched, what was the point, they'd probably be off before he even reached the guild. Especially since he was already anxious. If he could only get there before Erza, he could get some coffee from Mira, and everything would be alright. He walked with single-minded purpose, his features set in a scowl he wasn't aware of, causing people to veer out of his way quickly. He stared after them in confusion but shrugged it off and continued on his trek to the guild.

Somewhere along the way, he noticed people's expressions changing and a woman whacked him with a newspaper yelling "You should be ashamed of yourself!"

He looked down at himself, irritated by the woman's actions and verified his shirt was already off. _Fuck, why does that keep happening!_

"It's a medical condition!" he snapped at the woman. He gave a cursory glance behind him trying to locate his shirt, but when he didn't see it, he just continued walking, his mood deteriorating with every step.

He managed to reach the guild building without losing any more clothing although it had required all his concentration to do so. Gray saw a glimpse of red hair but it was still a ways away, Erza was talking to some local. For once, something was going his way. He hurried inside and headed towards the bar ignoring the water mage that began to head his way the second he set foot in the guild. A quick glance told him that at least Natsu wasn't there yet.

"Gray-sama, you're here!" Juvia immediately began to follow him, either not noticing or not caring about the dark aura that surrounded the ice mage.

"Good morning, Gray!" Mira greeted him with her usual sweet cheer.

"Hey, Mira," Gray replied trying to sound as civil as he was able given his mood, "Do you think I could have-"

A loud crash was heard from the kitchen. Mira turned her attention to the commotion, her face morphing to one of anger.

"Natsu Dragneel, you're supposed to be cleaning the mess you and Happy made, not making it worse!" Mira's usual sweet tone sounded like it was coming from her Satan Soul even though she had not transformed.

"That sounds terrible, Mira, but could I please bother you for some-" Gray tried again, starting to get desperate. He knew Erza would be there any minute.

"It's not my fault!" Natsu yelled, "What kind of idiot leaves puddles of olive oil on the floor. Fuck, I'm bleeding!"

"That would be you!" Mira screeched and headed into the kitchen with Wendy scurrying behind her to look at Natsu's wound.

Gray slammed his head on the bar before taking one, two, three deep breaths. Ok, so this was going to be a little harder than he'd anticipated. No biggie, Gray could just get the coffee himself. He got up from his stool and walked around behind the bar looking for the coffee maker. Once he'd found it, Gray hunted around for the coffee ignoring the metallic noises and screams that were still coming from the kitchen. He poured the coffee into the filter and realized to his dismay that all the water was in the kitchen where Mira and Natsu seemed to still be going at it, no way he was getting in the middle of that.

Juvia, seeing his dilemma started to squeeze water out of herself into a cup, more than happy to be helpful to her beloved. Her eyes had turned into hearts, and she was already squealing about being inside her Gray-sama.

Gray was so desperate at this point he almost considered it, but the idea of drinking down Juvia even with coffee and sugar added in was more than he could handle that early in the morning.

"Just no," Gray told Juvia roughly. Her face fell, and she rushed off in tears and now Gray had a new problem. Gajeel was glaring at him from his table, and had now stood up and was heading his way.

Gray's frustration was turning into rage, all he wanted was a goddamned cup of coffee before he had to deal with the rest of his team. Why the fuck was it so hard? The kitchen was beginning to look more appealing every second, but Gray stood his ground.

He saw Lucy come in the doors and look his way gauging the situation before walking right back out presumably to get Erza.

"Do you always have to be such an asshole to her?" Gajeel smashed his fist on the bar.

Usually Gray would have apologized, and he'd probably apologize to her later, but he was just done. "I wouldn't have to be if she ever listened to a word I say," Gray snapped.

"That still doesn't give you the right" Gajeel was still yelling at him, and that combined with the noises coming from the kitchen were enough to make his right eye start twitching.

"Gray, stop this at once!" Erza stormed into the guild with Lucy following. Her booming voice adding to the cacophony that Gray couldn't take anymore.

"THAT'S IT, I'M DONE!" Gray yelled at the top of his lungs, his emotions flaring out of control and encasing everyone in the guild in his ice.

"What the hell, Ice Princess?" Natsu yelled from the kitchen. To Gray's surprise, Natsu started laughing.

Gray could smell the heavenly smell of black coffee coming from somewhere in the guild, so close he could almost taste it. Natsu came out of the kitchen covered in scratches but holding a large mug of black coffee.

"Here you go," Natsu handed him the mug, an amused and somewhat fond look on his face, "Run out of coffee again?"

"Not sure if you could tell, but I'm not exactly a people person," Gray replied gratefully as he cooled down the contents of the mug enough to be able to drink them down in one gulp.

"You don't say," Natsu scoffed, "What's your feeling on dragons?"

"I think right now I could kiss one," Gray said truthfully.

"Go right ahead," Natsu grinned at him and closed the distance between them, for the first time openly expressing what Gray had been trying to figure out for the last few months.

Gray looked at Natsu in surprise but quickly put his arms around the dragon slayer and kissed him, not wanting to waste the opportunity. Natsu kissed him back eagerly.

"We should talk," Gray grabbed Natsu's hand in his, and they made their way out the guild's back door.

"GRAY!" a chorus of voices yelled after them, but he paid them no mind, more interested in the flush in Natsu's cheeks and the feel of his warmth on his fingers.

"As soon as I get out of this, I'm gonna kill that Ice Freak," Gajeel growled as the door slammed shut.


End file.
